United States has experienced a recent spurt in the number of women supported families. Single Mothers raising families in the US have become a norm than ever. Where in 1960, only 5 million children under the age of 18 lived with their mother, according to a survey by Annie E. Casey Foundation, nearly 19 million children now live in families supported by single mothers. And with the widespread inflation, where raising a family is a challenge even for two parents, single mothers have an unprecedented ordeal ahead.
The tough economic times have hit the families of single mothers really hard. Survival in the economy that has slacked down in terms of job opportunities only adds to the woes of single mothers. Where the poverty-stricken single parent families accounted for 30.9% in 2007, the percentage rose to 35.3% in 2010. The spike in the number of single mothers dropping below poverty line is the highest in District of Columbia, Kansas, and Wyoming according to the statistics obtained by National Women’s Law Center.
Meeting the expense of childcare is one of the biggest troubles in the way of single mothers. However there are some provisions for childcare support for single moms who fall in the low income group. Corinne Weyner from Minnesota who is a single mother, shares that she makes her living by working as a health aide at an assisted living facility. Though she does not receive any childcare benefits but is lucky enough to have her parents look after her child when she goes to work. She admits that she is still dependent on Food Stamps for meeting her family needs.
Rosa Rodriguez from San Francisco is a single mother of two. Due to sluggish economy, she lost her job at a meatpacking unit as she was not high on the seniority list. Being the sole breadwinner, she lost all her savings in order to sustain her family. However, it was a program called Women Initiative that helped her launch her own business. The program aims to offer business plan training and network opportunities to women who have low income. She works hard till midnight or even till 1 a.m. in an effort to grow profit. Now she is supporting her family better and is able to save some money for the uncertain tomorrow.
For single mothers who are jobless, covering expenses is no less than a tough uphill climb. Most of the single mothers end up with low paying jobs, barely sufficient to even meet the basics needs. However, going for single motherhood is a responsible decision so just because you are a single mother does not mean that you are all on your own. There are ofcourse a good number of support groups, assistance programs, and financial aids to help single mothers in need. However, in addition to seeking help, investing time in providing love and care to the children is also an asset that needs to be built up for a strong parent-child relationship.
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